The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has launched the Alhaji Gidado Idris Institute of Governance and Public Policy, a new research platform designed to strengthen public institutions and promote evidence-based policymaking in Nigeria, alongside the appointment of four senior officials to drive its expanding governance and policy agenda.
The announcement, made in Abuja on Tuesday, marks a significant expansion of the Centre’s operations as Nigeria continues to grapple with weak public institutions, policy implementation gaps and growing calls for governance reforms.
Named in honour of the late Alhaji Gidado Idris, one of Nigeria’s longest-serving senior civil servants who served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Permanent Secretary under successive military and civilian administrations, the institute will serve as the Centre’s flagship platform for governance research, policy innovation and institutional performance.
Speaking at the unveiling, Chancellor of the Athena Centre, Osita Chidoka, said Africa’s development challenges stem largely from weak institutions rather than a shortage of public policies.
He stressed that sustainable national development depends on building institutions capable of implementing policies with competence, integrity and accountability.
“The Alhaji Gidado Idris Institute is our contribution to that institutional future. It is a future in which government works more effectively for citizens, public trust is strengthened, and evidence consistently informs decision-making,” Chidoka said.
As part of its restructuring, the Centre appointed Dr. Christiantus I. Anyanwu as Director of the newly established institute.
A political scientist and governance expert, Anyanwu previously served as Senior Lecturer at Veritas University, Abuja, and Senior Research Fellow at the Athena Centre. He holds a doctorate in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Abuja and has authored more than 30 scholarly publications on democratic governance, electoral integrity and institutional development.
He will lead the institute’s inaugural programme, “Making Government Work for Citizens at Every Level,” aimed at improving governance and public sector performance across Nigeria.
The Centre also appointed Professor Temitayo Shenkoya as Director of the Arthur Nwankwo Institute for Education and Intellectual Freedom.
Shenkoya, a governance and innovation scholar with over two decades of international experience, currently serves as Professorial Researcher and Regional Director for Africa at Chungnam National University, South Korea. His previous roles include leadership positions at the Abuja Technology Village Foundation, UNICEF Nigeria and the Daejeon Metropolitan Government.
He is expected to spearhead the institute’s flagship initiative, “Fixing Nigeria’s Schools: Accountability and Digital Transformation,” which seeks to improve governance and service delivery in the education sector.
Similarly, Dr. Danjuma Iyaji was appointed Director of the Olikoye Ransome-Kuti Institute for Health and Social Equity.
A health economist and monitoring, evaluation and research specialist, Iyaji has worked with the Society for Family Health, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, while also lecturing at several Nigerian universities.
Under his leadership, the institute will implement a 2026 programme focused on expanding equitable access to affordable healthcare and nutrition across the country.
The Athena Centre also named Sarah Eke as Head of the Athena Election Observatory, where she will oversee election observation, electoral data analytics, post-election assessments and policy recommendations for electoral reforms.
A founding member of the organisation, Eke has coordinated election observation missions across Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi, Edo, Ondo and Anambra states, and previously worked on a presidential campaign with responsibility for voter intelligence and electoral strategy.
Chidoka said the appointments reflect the Centre’s commitment to combining academic excellence with practical policy expertise capable of driving meaningful governance reforms.
“Our ambition is not simply to produce research. It is to produce ideas that influence policy, institutions that strengthen governance, and leaders who transform society. These appointments represent an investment in that mission,” he said.
The expansion comes amid renewed calls by governance experts for stronger institutions to address Nigeria’s development challenges, with analysts citing persistent implementation failures, institutional weaknesses and policy inconsistencies as major obstacles to effective public service delivery.
The Athena Centre said the new institute will preserve the legacy of the late Alhaji Gidado Idris by promoting professionalism, institutional continuity and excellence in public administration.
An independent, non-partisan think tank, the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership promotes governance reforms, ethical leadership and evidence-based public policy across Africa through research, executive education and strategic policy engagement.
